Stafford County officials issued a boil water alert for areas in the southern part of the county late Tuesday night.
Officials said the alert was due to complications from a water main break in the area.
Residents in the following areas are "strongly advised" to boil their water before consuming, or to use bottled water:
- south of Eskimo Hill Road
- east of Interstate 95
- in the areas of Mountain View Road and Ramoth Church Road
Residents can use water for washing clothes or non-consumption without boiling it first, officials said.
"Stafford Utilities is following Virginia Department of Health protocols in testing the water in the affected area as well as the rest of the county," officials said in a release on the county's website posted shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
There was no issue with water in the rest of the county, they said as of late Tuesday.
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The alert is expected to be in effect for two to three days. Officials will post updates on the county's website and on its Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Safety tips are available on the Virginia Department of Health's website.